Bending
by Myfaerytale
Summary: Arizona is set to leave for Africa, but will Callie be able to let her go? (one shot. A/N: hope you guys like it:3)


"I'll miss you," she murmured against her lips. "I'll miss you so much." her voice cracked on the last word, her breath shaking as their lips finally parted.

She was leaving her again. Arizona was leaving her again for Africa and she didn't know if she was coming back. Her long, blonde hair was in two lose pigtails, Callie's fingers continuously playing with the ends as her teeth dug into her lower lip.

Her eyes were burning, her will to show her that she was strong terribly hard to do. She knew that her leaving was good for them; it was what made Arizona happy, what made her feel like she was contributing something to the world. As she released her bottom lip from her sharp teeth, she moved her hands to Arizona's soft face. Her delicate hands began to caress her dimpled cheeks, thumbs wiping the stray tears that began to fall from her light blue eyes.

"Please don't cry, honey," she whispered. She could feel her own tears threatening to escape, her throat burning and her hands trembling against his skin. "You're going to make me cry." her voice betrayed her in a choked sob, her tears now pouring from her eyes.

Arizona pulled Callie into her arms, their embrace strong and secure. "I'll be back, don't worry."

For a moment she actually believed her words. For the slightest of seconds, as her arms were wrapped tightly around her bodice, her head buried into Arizona's chest; she believed her. But the thought flitted through her mind as fast as it came, a frown now set upon her lips. Callie wanted something Arizona wasn't ready to give yet, and this separation, in Arizona's words, was the right thing to do.

"You can still come with me." Arizona urged, brushing a piece of Callie's hair gently behind her ear. "Maybe a change of scenery could help us..." her words trailed to a whisper, lips barely brushing together as words escaped her now tight throat.

Callie shook her head and pulled away from Arizona. "No, no." she shook her head once more. "This is my home; all of my friends are here and-"

"Yeah." Arizona interrupted her. "I know. You don't have to tell me again." she snapped.

Callie balled her fists in anger, eyes burning so much more. "You can't expect me to drop everything."

"But you expect me to?" Arizona retorted.

Callie took a step back, the two now at arm's length apart. She hated how every conversation the two had the past few months ended with an argument.

She hated herself more for letting Arizona go.

"Please, just stay. We can work this out."

"No we can't."

Callie's lips began to tremble. "Why? Why can't we work this out?"

"Because you keep expecting me to bend for you!" Arizona gripped the handle to her suitcase in between shaky fingers. "_I _have to change for you. Going to Africa will give me time to think. You can't force me to want children, Callie. You have to give me time. I can't change who I am when you won't even budge." her cheeks were red.

"Africa, though? You have to move half way across the world?" Callie cried.

Arizona let out a dry laugh. "You don't get it, Callie."

Callie grabbed Arizona's arms, pulled her closer. "Please, help me understand then."

Arizona gently pulled away. "I need space. I need to think."

"Think _here._" Callie tugged Arizona back to her, hands moving to cup tear stained cheeks. Their lips were mere inches apart, gazes so heavy and intense. "Please, don't go."

"If you want this," Arizona pressed her lips lightly against Callie's for a slow second. "If you want _us _to work," she kissed her once more, fingertips resting at Callie's sides. "You need to give me time. Being here...I can't think. I want to be good for you, Callie. I want to want babies, but I'll need time."

Callie let out a sob, forcing her lips back onto Arizona's. What if Arizona never came back? What if she never wanted children? How could she live without the love of her life?

How could she live without children? Was losing Arizona worth it?

"Will you at least call me?" she whispered.

Arizona didn't answer; she simply pulled away and placed her baseball cap onto her head, pigtails rushing in waves past her shoulders. "I love you." Arizona pulled Callie into her arms one last time.

Her grip seemed to get tighter, Callie feeling safe in her protective hold. Her hands balled here shirt into her hands, eyes sealed shut as more tears escaped.

"What if this doesn't help? What if we aren't okay?" she continued pulling herself away from Arizona.

Her arms now hung at her sides, her fingers playing with a hole in her jeans as she stared at the floor. She saw Arizona's boot clad feet move towards her, but she moved back. She couldn't bear seeing her, _touching _her; it would only cause her more pain.

Her sobs were quieter now, her tears falling off of her nose and onto the rug covered floor.

"Please, just go. I can't," a cry. "I can't stand seeing you leave like this again." her voice was small, but she wanted to shout so badly. She wanted to yell at her, tell her not to leave her side. She wanted Arizona to stay, wanted her by her side every morning. to fill the silence in the room.

"Look at me." Arizona said softly, stepping into Callie's line of view.

She didn't move an inch, her head trying it's hardest to escape from her stare. "Callie, baby, please look at me." she begged. She wanted to so badly, but she couldn't find the strength. She wouldn't have any left once she left her.

"This isn't good-bye," Arizona growled.

Callie jumped, Arizona's tone surprising her. Her eyes finally shot to Arizona's, her dark blue gaze burning into her brown orbs. "I'm coming back, Callie. I'm not saying good-bye."

The pure, serious emotion in her stare cause anxious shivers to trail down her back. Her hands roughly grabbed Arizona's face as she forced her lips upon hers. Their lips moved in a synchronized motion, their heavy breathing filling the empty silence of the room.

Arizona was the one to pull them apart, her forehead now resting on Callie's. Her sobs stopped, but her tears still fell soundlessly onto the hands that cradled her face. "Promise me," she said. "Please, promise me you'll come back."

Arizona bit her lip. "I promise."

Callie gasped once more before stepping back. "Go." she turned on her heel and fled their living room to lock herself in their bedroom.

She was leaving...she was really leaving. She couldn't bring herself to say the words aloud, afraid that each syllable would burn her tongue more and more with each passing phrase.

She would be gone for months.

A nagging in the back of Callie's mind wanted to shout at her for how imprudent she was behaving. She was letting the love of her life slip from her fingers.

It was for good reason though. At least, that's what Callie kept telling herself. Arizona would finally realize the big mistake she was making when arriving to Africa. She would realize how silly it was to leave her whole life behind because of something as ridiculous as not wanting children.

She was a peds surgeon for crying out loud!

Callie flinched as she heard the front door to their apartment slam shut with an empty echo left in it's wake.

"She'll come back." she told herself. "She'll be back in a few weeks, no days." she wiped at her eyes.

_What if she never wants children? _

Callie angrily covered her face, the annoying and reality speaking thoughts bouncing back and forth in her head.

_She'll be gone for years if you don't go after her. _

Callie shot to her feet, fleeing out of the bedroom and racing out of the small apartment.

She could learn to bend for Arizona. She could sacrifice this _one _thing if that meant Arizona never leaving her arms.

"Arizona!" she shouted, legs moving at a rate they never had before. Callie didn't bother to shut the blue door behind her, thoughts only filled with making sure her and Arizona were never separated.

She skidded to a halt as the doors to the elevator started to shut, Arizona's wide blue eyes staring at Callie in shock.

"Callie what are you-"

Callie forced the elevator doors open as she slid her way into the small, confined space. Her hands frantically shot out in front of her, her breaths short as she tried to catch them.

"I can't," a pant. "let you," another one." leave." she pushed the emergency stop button on the elevator's side, Arizona starting to protest.

"Callie-"

"I can deal with you not wanting kids." she placed her strong hands on Arizona's shoulders. "I can bend for you. I will do anything for you." moved her hands to cup Arizona's face. "But I can't let you leave. I can't." she shook her head to emphasize her point. "You and me. We belong together."

"Callie..." Arizona placed her hands atop of Callie's, the trembling limbs barely able to hold their grasp.

"I can't live without you. Even if that means we won't have any kids."

Callie sealed her last words with a passionate kiss, fire spreading down her neck and to her core.

If having kids meant Arizona had to leave, then Callie could bend.


End file.
